Dusan Jevtovic and Xavi Reija decided to record new music for their first album as a duo.
This has been published by NY established company, Moonjune records.

The album has 9 tracks composed by Dusan and Xavi. It was recorded at Casa Murada, Spain by Jesús Rovira. Mixed and Mastered in Argentina by Juan Pablo Alcaro and produced by Dusan/Xavi, with Leonardo Pavkovic as a executive producer. The cover is designed by Alexandar Popovic, photos by Endika Ussia, and linner notes by Dan Burke.

“With the release of “Random Abstract”, Xavi Reija and Dusan Jevtovic have chosen to
pare down to a two-man configuration appropriately named XaDu. In many musical
situations, the absence of a third player could easily constrict the creative flow as the
remaining players might feel an obligation to “keep the music together” by assigning one
instrument the role of maintaining the melodic structure or locking in the groove so the
sound doesn’t go into freefall. In the “connect-the-dots” world of XaDu, Xavi and Dusan
have chosen not to allow this constriction to occur. While two points or players may
make a musical line, there is nothing linear or conventionally narrative about this
recording. Rather these are more points of departure soaring over seemingly vast and
borderless soundscapes.
Using an approach found in contemporary jazz, XaDu first establish each composition
with its intrinsic melodic and rhythmic components, then allow it to partially or fully
unfold and deconstruct as they explore the vast sonic palette of guitar and drumkit. At
this point they cross over into uncharted territories where, during the more improvisatory
sections, the framework of the song is held together more by inference and muscle
memory than continual chord structure or consistent beat.
Similar to the role the tamboura plays in Indian classical music, Dusan’s use of looped
partially-octaved guitar creates a structured low frequency drone or riff that grounds the
other instruments. This allows for extended musical explorations on his other pedaled
guitar which can range from whispering implied skeletal imprints of melody to plate
techtonic bursts of energy careening the listener through a maelstrom of sound. Xavi’s
fluid playing is right in the vortex, coaxing riffs into life, laying chase to Dusan’s frenetic
runs with his supremely musical tom work, or just falling away in a wash of cymbals
when the wave of energy has crashed on the shore.
The spontaneity of this music is at once tangible and thrilling. There is a keen sense of
bearing witness to the moment of its creation – as though this is a live performance and
not a recording. Musical directions taken and decisions made all feel very “of the
moment” yet fully informed giving the listener a strong sense of investment and making
for a most compelling listen.”

DAN BURKE